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Preexisting Condition
stax1983 posted:
I am currently engaged and live without health insurance. For about the past 6 months I have been showing possible signs of endometriosis. I have extremely painful periods, which has been going on for some time, and since being with my future husband I have had three incidences after intercourse that has left me in excruciating pain. This only happens once a certain spot is hit on my right side. It starts out as a sharpness in my pelvis on that side, and then it is followed with stomach cramps and continues like that (back and forth) for several hours and is debilitating. I spoke to a friend who is an RN for an OBGYN and her immediate response was, it sounds like endometriosis. Like I said, I am living without insurance, and I'm afraid if I go to the doctor now and discover it is in fact endometriosis, it will be considered a preexisting condition. My fiance and I would like to conceive fairly soon after being married, and our wedding date is set in June, 2013. If I require surgery I will absolutely need insurance since we live on an income of less than $50K. We are now considering a secret marriage this month so I can be covered. I would like to find out as much as I can about this before we make a decision. Any feedback about insurance companies and preexisting conditions would be wonderful. Also, I am 28 years old (if that is any help). Thank you so much.
3 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Preexisting ConditionI am currently engaged and live without health insurance. For about the past 6 months I have been showing possible signs of endometriosis. I have extremely painful periods, which has been going on for some time, and since being with my future husband I have had three incidences after intercourse that has left me in excruciating pain. This only happens once a certain spot is hit on my right side. It starts out as a sharpness in my pelvis on that side, and then it is followed with stomach cramps and continues like that (back and forth) for several hours and is debilitating. I spoke to a friend who is an RN for an OBGYN and her immediate response was, it sounds like endometriosis. Like I said, I am living without insurance, and I'm afraid if I go to the doctor now and discover it is in fact endometriosis, it will be considered a preexisting condition. My fiance and I would like to conceive fairly soon after being married, and our wedding date is set in June, 2013. If I require surgery I will absolutely need insurance since we live on an income of less than $50K. We are now considering a secret marriage this month so I can be covered. I would like to find out as much as I can about this before we make a decision. Any feedback about insurance companies and preexisting conditions would be wonderful. Also, I am 28 years old (if that is any help). Thank you so much.
Sheisalady responded:
I am in a very similar situation. Talked with my employers health insurance and they said they cover preexisting conditions, but not for the first year. But all insurance companies policies are different. So I have been to the Dr self pay and the first test was ultrasound to see if it showed anything...and it looked completely normal (couple hundred down the drain) so now he wants to do a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy...which is the only way to know if it's endometriosis, and if it is they go ahead and take care of the scar tissue. He said that he can get a discount from a surgical center, but it will still cost a couple thousand dollars. So those tests are what you should expect the recommendations to be. They could also do blood work to check your hormone levels, which I'm thinking about requesting before they insist on an expensive surgery. Now my fear is that I will have the surgery (which I can't afford) and that it will look normal as well, even though I have abnormal symptoms and have on and off for many years. Abnormal bleeding, random pain and cramping, and painful intercourse (though not as bad as yours). I hope this is a little insight for you on what to expect.
Report This| Share this:Preexisting ConditionI am in a very similar situation. Talked with my employers health insurance and they said they cover preexisting conditions, but not for the first year. But all insurance companies policies are different. So I have been to the Dr self pay and the first test was ultrasound to see if it showed anything...and it looked completely normal (couple hundred down the drain) so now he wants to do a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy...which is the only way to know if it's endometriosis, and if it is they go ahead and take care of the scar tissue. He said that he can get a discount from a surgical center, but it will still cost a couple thousand dollars. So those tests are what you should expect the recommendations to be. They could also do blood work to check your hormone levels, which I'm thinking about requesting before they insist on an expensive surgery. Now my fear is that I will have the surgery (which I can't afford) and that it will look normal as well, even though I have abnormal symptoms and have on and off for many years. Abnormal bleeding, random pain and cramping, and painful intercourse (though not as bad as yours). I hope this is a little insight for you on what to expect.
stax1983 replied to Sheisalady's response:
Thank you very much for your response, it has been helpful. My fianc? and I decided we are going to go ahead with getting married and have a wedding later. Your response reasurred me that we are making the right decision. One thing you said left me a little conserned though....is it really necessary to have a hysterectomy in order to determine wether it is or isn't endometriosis? In my research I only discovered a laparoscopy is necessary in order to remove endometriosis. Hysterectomy seems a little extreme to me and will not be an option for me since I plan to have children in the near future (fingers crossed).
Report This| Share this:Preexisting ConditionThank you very much for your response, it has been helpful. My fianc? and I decided we are going to go ahead with getting married and have a wedding later. Your response reasurred me that we are making the right decision. One thing you said left me a little conserned though....is it really necessary to have a hysterectomy in order to determine wether it is or isn't endometriosis? In my research I only discovered a laparoscopy is necessary in order to remove endometriosis. Hysterectomy seems a little extreme to me and will not be an option for me since I plan to have children in the near future (fingers crossed).
Dear stax: Sheisalady has spoken correctly, a laproscopy surgery or hysteroscopy (not a hysterectomy which removes the uterus) are both helpful in finding evidence of endometriosis. With a laproscope the GYN surgeon can visualize the outside of the uterus/tubes/ovaries. With a hysteroscopy the GYN surgeon can visualize the inside of the uterine cavity. However, it is true that endometriosis growing inside the muscular walls of the uterus is best diagnosed after the uterus is removed and sent to the pathology lab.
In your specific case (young and hoping to conceive) a laproscopic surgery is the most likely procedure to be used to look for overt endometriosis or filmy bands of scar tissue ("adhesions") caused by the inflammation of endometriosis.
Best wishes for your wedding and getting the insurance coverage you need.
Yours,
Jane
In your specific case (young and hoping to conceive) a laproscopic surgery is the most likely procedure to be used to look for overt endometriosis or filmy bands of scar tissue ("adhesions") caused by the inflammation of endometriosis.
Best wishes for your wedding and getting the insurance coverage you need.
Yours,
Jane
Report This| Share this:Preexisting ConditionDear stax: Sheisalady has spoken correctly, a laproscopy surgery or hysteroscopy (not a hysterectomy which removes the uterus) are both helpful in finding evidence of endometriosis. With a laproscope the GYN surgeon can visualize the outside of the uterus/tubes/ovaries. With a hysteroscopy the GYN surgeon can visualize the inside of the uterine cavity. However, it is true that endometriosis growing inside the muscular walls of the uterus is best diagnosed after the uterus is removed and sent to the pathology lab.<br /><br />In your specific case (young and hoping to conceive) a laproscopic surgery is the most likely procedure to be used to look for overt endometriosis or filmy bands of scar tissue ("adhesions") caused by the inflammation of endometriosis. <br /><br />Best wishes for your wedding and getting the insurance coverage you need.<br /><br />Yours,<br />Jane
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